Coach Anzai’s final two starters: both freshmen.
Nobody looked surprised.
The intra-squad scrimmage had proven their worth.
Shohoku Starting Five:
C: Akagi Takenori (193cm, 85kg, 1st year)PF: Sato Ichiro (188cm, 73kg, 2nd year)SF: Ikeda Yuho (183cm, 75kg, 3rd year)SG: Kogure Kiminobu (174cm, 60kg, 1st year)PG: Ito Masaru (167cm, 60kg, 2nd year)
Across the court, Ryonan’s lineup took the floor.
Ryonan Starting Five:
C: Uozumi Jun (199cm, 86kg, 1st year)PF: Inoue Toyosu (189cm, 83kg, 2nd year)SF: Sasaki Oribe (180cm, 73kg, 3rd year)SG: Ozawa Yusaku (176cm, 70kg, 3rd year)PG: Matsushita Asahi (166cm, 63kg, 2nd year)
The referee directed Uozumi and Akagi to center circle.
Uozumi held a six-centimeter height advantage, plus superior wingspan.
On paper, the jump ball should be his.
The ball went up.
Both centers exploded upward simultaneously.
Uozumi had the reach, but Akagi’s vertical was quicker—their hands contacted the ball at the exact same moment.
Thwap!
The basketball caught between their right hands, neither giving ground.
Stalemate in mid-air.
As they descended, Uozumi used his last bit of momentum to redirect it toward his point guard.
Matsushita secured it and immediately pushed tempo.
His footwork was light, deceptively quick.
Similar height to Ito but significantly faster.
Ito underestimated the speed—Matsushita blew by him, attacking the rim directly.
Captain Ikeda rotated over to help.
Matsushita didn’t force it—skip pass to Sasaki on the wing, wide open.
Sasaki caught and shot in one smooth motion.
Swish.
Ryonan drew first blood.
Sasaki and Matsushita exchanged a quick hand slap before sprinting back on defense.
Offense-defense transition.
Ito brought the ball across halfcourt, Matsushita pressuring immediately.
Ito had to shield the ball with his body, preventing another strip.
Ikeda came up to set a screen—
Matsushita read the pass attempt, hands flashing out.
Steal.
Clean.
Ryonan broke again.
Matsushita pushed hard in transition, eyes scanning for teammates.
Sasaki had a step on everyone.
Ito tried to recover and contest, but Matsushita had already released the pass.
4-0, Ryonan.
Ito raised his hand, acknowledging his mistake.
“Stay steady,” Ikeda said, clapping his shoulder.
Shohoku inbound.
Ito advanced again, Matsushita meeting him at halfcourt with relentless pressure.
The harassment forced Ito to back into his defender, protecting the ball but losing court vision.
Couldn’t see passing lanes.
“Here!”
Kogure flashed to the ball.
Relief washed over Ito—he hit Kogure immediately.
Kogure caught, surveyed, then fired a sharp entry pass to Akagi posting up near the paint.
Akagi secured it with both hands, back against Uozumi.
He didn’t attack right away—read the defense first, letting his teammates space the floor.
The other four Shohoku players spread out, pulling Ryonan’s defenders away from the basket.
Clearing the stage for Akagi’s one-on-one.
Akagi lowered his center of gravity.
Back-to-basket time.
Uozumi didn’t retreat.
He pressed tight against Akagi’s waist, arms fighting for leverage, determined to hold position.
Despite limited training time, Uozumi’s strength was legitimate.
His family ran a restaurant—he’d spent years hauling supplies, prepping ingredients, cooking over hot stoves.
Manual labor built real functional strength.
Uozumi could play basketball and cook professionally.
Just like Akagi could play basketball and maintain straight-A academics.
Different talents, same dedication.
Bang.
Bang.
The collision was brutal.
Bodies smashing together, neither giving an inch.
Pure strength versus pure strength—deadlock.
Akagi couldn’t bully his way to the rim.
Uozumi’s base was too solid.
Strategy shift.
Akagi used footwork instead, trying to create separation with movement rather than power.
His feet were quicker, more refined.
A subtle shoulder fake shifted Uozumi’s weight—there.
Akagi spun baseline, exploding toward the rim.
BOOM!
Two-handed thunder dunk.
The Shohoku bench erupted.
Akagi landed and pounded his chest, grin fierce.
Visible relief rippled through the Shohoku squad.
Nerves settling.
Akagi’s dunk had injected energy back into the team.
Ryonan’s turn.
Matsushita crossed halfcourt and immediately called for the Uozumi screen.
Even as a rookie, Uozumi’s size made his picks devastating.
Ito got caught on the wall—Matsushita burst through the opening.
Akagi switched onto Matsushita.
The point guard kicked it to Inoue on the block.
Inoue bullied the stick-thin Sato easily, powering toward the basket.
Kogure rotated down for the double-team.
Inoue panicked—nearly lost it to Kogure’s quick hands—but managed to elevate and fire a pass to the cutting Uozumi.
Too slow.
Uozumi’s footwork was ponderous compared to Akagi’s.
By the time he gathered, Akagi had recovered.
Uozumi tried to power through for the dunk anyway—
Slap!
Akagi’s hand swatted the ball cleanly.
Uozumi crashed to the floor, the basketball rolling toward the sideline.
Out of bounds in two seconds—
Kogure dove.
He saved it just before the line, scrambled to his feet, and pushed.
Shohoku sprinted in transition.
Uozumi was still on the floor—five-on-four advantage.
Quick passes, ball movement, then Akagi finishing with another rim-rattling slam.
Uozumi climbed to his feet slowly, lost, uncertain.
Next Ryonan possession.
Matsushita crossed halfcourt, Uozumi immediately posted up and demanded the ball.
He wanted to prove himself.
Show Coach Taoka he belonged.
Matsushita hesitated, then lobbed it into the post.
Bang.
Bang.
Uozumi tried backing Akagi down.
Couldn’t move him.
Tried using footwork like Akagi had, but his moves were too obvious, intentions telegraphed.
Akagi stayed in front, stone wall.
Shot clock winding down.
Uozumi had no choice—he gathered and went up for a power dunk, trying to finish through Akagi.